Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/448

story of Lashly's and Crean's devotion will no doubt be told in another place. Lashly looked after Evans, and his nursing arrangements were splendid.

At 3 a.m. on the morning of the 22nd we made a start, Evans being in his sleeping-bag on the sledge. The teams travelled well, and with only one break 15 miles from Hut Point we reached home and safety for him at midday, after 5 hours' actual travelling. Considering his condition, I judged that if I were able to obtain help from Cape Evans it would be better for me to stay with Lieutenant Evans and for Wright or Cherry-Garrard to take my place with the dog teams and to go south with Demetri.

On February 23 Demetri went to Cape Evans, and that same night Wright, Cherry-Garrard and Davies the carpenter came up to Hut Point. Having regard to his work, it was better that Wright should not take command of the dog teams, and so it was settled that Cherry-Garrard should do this. After due consideration of weights and the probabilities of the date by which the final party could return to certain depôts, it was decided that the dogs should take 24 days' food for themselves and 21 days' food for the two men, carrying in addition two weeks' surplus supplies for the Southern Party complete and certain delicacies which they had asked for. The totals brought the weight carried by each team up to the most economical travelling limit for the time of year. As there was no dog food in any of the depôts except at Corner Camp or along any of the route, it meant that 24 days was the limit of their usefulness. Again, it cannot be too